Cardiometabolic disorder poses greater mortality risk than obesity

A study published today in BMC Public Health finds that cardio-metabolic risk factors, such as high blood pressure and hyperglycemia, are associated with higher risk of mortality than abnormal body mass index in a Taiwanese population.

It is well known that body mass index (BMI) is a major determinant of mortality and research suggests that the mortality risk of a high BMI is also attenuated by age. However, it is less clear how cardio-metabolic factors (CMFs) such as hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia affect the relationship between BMI and mortality.

Dr Mark Wahlqvist and colleagues at the National Health Research Institutes in Taiwan set out to study the mortality risks of CMFs as compared to those of BMI in a large population cohort of Taiwanese for a mean follow-up time of 8.1 years. The researchers followed 377,929 participants, aged 20 years or older, registered with MJ Health Screening Center in Taiwan and were able to consider the role played by traditional cardiovascular risk factors on the health effects of BMI across the entire adult life course, which is missing in most studies of BMI and mortality.

Our findings shed new light on how the known association between BMI and mortality may be altered by cardio-metabolic factors, and thus could help improve strategies for a longer, healthier life

They found that high blood pressure and blood glucose were associated with an increased risk of mortality in both younger and older individuals, irrespective of gender or body composition. Compared to a 1.04% increased risk in obese individuals, high blood pressure was associated with an 8.57% risk of mortality and high blood sugar was associated with a 6.49% risk of mortality.

The authors were surprised to find that underweight was a more important predictor of reduced survival than overweight or obesity, except in young adults. Furthermore, older age was protective against the risk posed by higher BMIs, suggesting that weight-management programs may need to be tailored according to age.

Mark Wahlqvist et. al. 2018

In people with metabolic syndrome, the mortality risk of being underweight was much greater than that of obesity, especially for younger people

Dr Wahlqvist et. al. also found that taking metabolic syndrome into account meant that mortality risk of being underweight was greater than that of obesity for all age groups, but especially for people aged 20-39 years old. This may be due to the incidence of high blood pressure and high blood sugar in this group.

Although the observational nature of the study does not allow for conclusions about cause and effect, it provides strong support of the notion that, in addition to weight management, life-extension policies warrant attention among all age groups to cardio-metabolic disorders such as hypertension, pre-diabetes, and diabetes.

Natalie joined BioMed Central in October 2007 after having completed an MSc in Environmental Health at the Cyprus International Institute in Association with the Harvard School of Public Health. She is the training co-ordinator for the BMC series editorial team and the Editor of BMC Public Health and BMC International Health and Human Rights.